Seaweed for root growth
 

Hi all,
I was hoping someone could help explain to me the seaweed method for roots growth a bit more. I'm a bit unclear on it.

I have around my house some seaweed for my own consumption - i have both nori (flat sheets of it) and wakame (just dried seaweed leaves).
Are either of those acceptable?

Do I chop up the seaweed and put it in some water? Wrap the leaves around the plant roots? What's kind of the process or ratio of seaweed here?

thanks for helping out a newb.

The person most knowledgeable on seaweed extract and its use for orchids is Ray of First Rays Orchids. I suspect you will need to make a "brew" of your seaweed, but that would be only if what you are growing is suitable for the purpose.

Most people using seaweed here are buying a bottle of liquid solution or jar of dried powder. It is added to the plant water when watering and fertilizing.

However, there is likely no reason the kind that you are eating couldn't be made into a tea and plants watered with it. I am not sure it will have all the same growth hormones as the stuff found in hydroponics stores and most often used on orchids.

:hello:hello That's funny. My son recently got me into more diverse Japanese cuisine and we have nori so as I'm reading all this and thinking also of soaking it and applying it to a plant as an experiment! Think I'll just soak a sheet of it and see what happens. BTW...welcome!

I would be very careful using these edible seaweed sheets as they can contain too high a sodium content and kill existing roots. I would buy dedicated seakelp/seaweed for plants. With that you know it's safe and proven. I use mine at 1 teaspoon per 2-3 Liters once or twice a month and root growths are amazing.


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The extracts are made from species known to have higher concentrations of hormones, and must be treated properly to ensure activity remains. The rooting hormones are somewhat unstable chemical compounds, so I doubt much would remain in a product that has been dried in the sun, salted and packed who knows how long ago. The extracts intended for plant use are inexpensive and work. Why mess with something that probably doesn't work?

Thanks, everyone. I'm understanding better now.

I'm seeing online a few brands now. Kelp fertilizer... seaweed fertilizer. Gotcha.

"Seaweed (or kelp) fertilizers", and growth stimulants based upon the sea plants are not the same thing.

The former are often blends of things intended to provide all around nutrition (although I don't know how complete they may be), with what appears to be a minimal degree of growth stimulation, while the latter are concentrates intended specifically for that purpose.

Yes, the stimulants do carry important nutrients, but that is not their primary, intended purpose.